In this invention we describe a magnet or magnetic material attached to a pipette or pipetting device to hang the pipetting device onto a ferrous or magnetic material. The magnet can be attached to any surface on the pipette in such a way that the pipette can be temporally attached to, or hung as desired, on any magnetic or ferrous surface such as ferrous clips, iron or steel sheets (e.g. refrigerator, lab bench, hood). The pipette described in the present invention can be stored more effectively in research laboratories and the present invention will help to reduce the contamination of pipettes, pipette tips and samples transported by them.
In chemical and biomedical labs, pipetting devices (also known as pipettes, micropipettes or pipettors) are used frequently and routinely to aspirate, transport and dispense small sample volumes. The applications of such devices range from measuring predetermined volumes of the sample to transporting samples from one container to another. The sample can either be drawn directly into a disposable or non-disposable pipette or into a disposable or non-disposable pipette tip attached to the pipetting device.
However, when they are not in use, these pipetting devices are stored in a number of different ways. For example, they can be placed on a hanger, affixed to a wall or vertical surface, or they can be placed in a support structure or stand placed on the lab bench surface. Alternatively, they may be placed in drawers or simply be left lying on the lab counter surface.
In many of the above methods, the storing device, into which the pipetting device is placed, is attached to another surface. For example, current pipette hangers are fixed onto a surface by glue, a screw or a magnet. If the pipetting device is used in a different location, far removed from the hanger, there is a tendency by the device user to just leave the pipette on the lab bench, which can cause contamination of the pipetting device or pipette tip.
When a pipette stand is used, it can easily be moved from one location to another on the lab bench, but such stands often occupy significant amounts of space on lab benches where space is very tight.
To overcome the limitations of currently available alternatives, the present invention provides a practical and space-efficient solution for storing pipettes and pipetting devices and it facilitates the use and organization of such pipetting devices in the laboratory.
In US Patents (U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,979,675 and 5,695,165) Moriarty described the use of hangers, which can be attached to a metallic surface by a built-in magnet in the hanger or by the use of permanent methods such as adhesives, or screws with which the hanger is attached to a surface. However, if pipettes of different types and size are used, different types of hangers need to be used in the lab to accommodate for these variations among different devices. Currently, there are over a dozen different pipetting device manufacturers (such as, Eppendorf, Rainin, Oxford, Gilson, and Finnpipette) each of whom makes different types of pipetting devices. Since there are significant variations among their devices, it becomes impractical to have a spectrum of different types of hangers or stands in labs where pipettors from many different manufacturers are used.
In the present invention, a magnet or magnetic material is attached to any surface on a pipette or pipetting device such that it can be non-permanently attached to any ferrous metallic or magnetic surface. By having a magnet or magnetic material attached directly to the pipette or pipetting device, it can be conveniently stored in the lab. According to the present invention, the magnet or magnetic component can be embedded or built into the pipetting device during the pipetting device manufacturing process. Alternatively, the magnet or magnetic material can be attached to any existing pipette or pipetting device such that devices currently in existence can be modified. Thus, a scientist can simply place the magnet on the pipetting device and then use that to attach it to any ferrous or other magnetic surfaces.
While pipettes with built-in magnets are better suited for sterilization, those with an attachable magnetic unit give the user flexibility in modifying the pipetting device as needed.
In this invention we describe a magnet or magnetic material attached to a pipette or pipetting device to hang the pipetting device onto a ferrous or magnetic surface. The magnet can be attached to any surface on the pipette in such a way that the pipette can be temporally attached to, or hung as desired, on any magnetic or ferrous surface such as ferrous clips, iron or steel sheets (e.g. metal cabinet, refrigerator, lab bench, hood). The pipette described in the present invention can be stored more effectively in research laboratories and the present invention will help to reduce the contamination of pipettes, pipette tips and samples transported by them.
The various features of novelty, which characterize the present invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its advantages and objects, reference is made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated.